Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post
President Biden, first lady Jill Biden are other members of the Biden family watch fireworks during the Fourth of July celebration at the White House on Monday.
Today, President Biden is scheduled to award the Medal of Honor to four U.S. soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War during a morning event in the East Room of the White House.
On Monday, following a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Ill., Biden said the country needs to do more on gun control. He did not offer particulars, and it’s unlikely Congress will act again after its recent passage of a heavily negotiated bipartisan bill that included the most significant changes in nearly 30 years. Vice President Harris is scheduled to be in Chicago on Tuesday for a previously scheduled appearance before the National Education Association.
Your daily dashboard
11:15 a.m. Eastern: Biden awards the Medal of Honor to four soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War. Watch live here.
3 p.m. Eastern: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre provides a briefing. Watch live here.
4:15 p.m. Central (5:15 p.m. Eastern): Harris delivers remarks at a National Education Association meeting in Chicago.
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7:26 AM: On our radar: Biden to present Medal of Honor to Vietnam War soldiers
Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post President Biden presents the Medal of Honor to U.S. Army Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee in the East Room of the White House on Dec. 16, 2021.
President Biden on Tuesday is scheduled to present the Medal of Honor to four U.S. Army soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War.
Honorees at the event planned in the East Room of the White House include Staff Sgt. Edward N. Kaneshiro (posthumous), Spec. 5 Dwight W. Birdwell, Spec. 5 Dennis M. Fujii and retired Maj. John J. Duffy.
According to the White House, the Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the armed forces “who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty.”
You can read the White House announcement about the four honorees here.
7:15 AM: The latest: ‘We’ve got to get this under control,’ Biden says after shootings
Speaking Monday at a White House gathering to celebrate Independence Day with military families, President Biden said the county has “more work to do” on gun safety following the massacre that left at least six people dead at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Ill.
“Six people have passed and others are wounded, but we’ve got a lot more work to do. We’ve got to get this under control,” Biden said. He then repeated, “We’ve got to get this under control.”
Earlier, Biden released a statement that referenced his recent signing of “the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost thirty years.”
That legislation, among other things, provides grants to states for “red flag” laws, enhances background checks to include juvenile records and closes the “boyfriend loophole” by keeping guns away from nonspouse dating partners convicted of abuse. But it did not include more sweeping steps that Biden has advocated, such as renewing an assault weapons ban.
Biden’s statement did not mention any particular additional steps but closed by saying, “I’m not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence.”
7:07 AM: On our radar: Garland weighs racial equity as he considers death penalty in Buffalo